A sentence is made up of single parts of speech combined into a pattern that expresses a complete thought. In other words, a sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. At the bare minimum, a simple sentence must contain two basic elements: 1. the thing we are taling about !sub"ect# $. what we sa% about it !&erb'predicate# (he subject is a noun, a pronoun, or some other word or group of words that function as a noun. (he verb !also nown as a predicate# is a word that tells something about the sub"ect) in other words, it tells that the sub"ect does something or that something is true of the sub"ect. A sub"ect and a &erb are, therefore, the fundamental parts of e&er% sentence. In fact, it is possible to express meaning with "ust these two elements: *r. Carruthers dances. *rs. *orse raps. (Note that in each example the verb says that the subject DOES something!) +inding &erbs and sub"ects of &erbs in a sentence is the first step in determining whether or not a group of words expresses a complete thought. Loo first for the &erb, the most important word of the sentence, and then for its sub"ect. (he &erb ma% sometimes be difficult to find. It ma% come an%where in the sentence) for instance, it ma% precede the sub"ect, as in some interrogati&e sentences (Where is my coee!). It ma% consist of a single word or a group of two or more words) it ma% ha&e other words inserted within the &erb phrase) it ma% be combined with the negati&e not or with a contraction of not. (o find the &erb, loo for the word or group of words that expresses an action or a state of being. In the following sentences the &erbs are underlined: *s. ,ust stood at *rs. Alexander-s side. At *rs. Alexander-s side stood *s. ,ust. *s. ,ust was standing at *rs. Alexander-s side. *s. ,ust cannot stand at *rs. Alexander-s side. .id *s. ,ust stand at *rs. Alexander-s side/ (he sub"ect ma% also be difficult to find, for, as we ha&e "ust seen, the sub"ect does not alwa%s come immediatel% before the &erb. 0ften it comes after the &erb) often it is separated from the &erb b% a modif%ing element. Alwa%s loo for the noun or pronoun about which the &erb asserts something and disregard inter&ening elements. (he sub"ects are italici1ed and the &erbs are underlined in the following examples: AP English Language and Composition "any of the students lo&e AP Lang. (here is summer home#or$ in&ol&ed. 0n the weebl% was a hilarious photo of *s. ,ust. In an imperati&e sentence, a sentence expressing a command or a re2uest, the sub"ect you is usuall% implied rather than expressed. .o the summer homewor. 3tud% grammar4 Either the &erb or sub"ect or both could be compound) that is, there ma% be more than one sub"ect and more than one &erb: "rs% "orse and "rs% &lexander teach. !(wo 3ub"ects# "r% 'arruthers teaches and coaches. !(wo 5erbs# "r% 'arruthers and "s% (ust teach and coach. !(wo 3ub"ects and (wo 5erbs#
The NCLEX-RN Exam Study Guide: Premium Edition: Proven Methods to Pass the NCLEX-RN Examination with Confidence – Extensive Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) Practice Test Questions with Answers
Medical Terminology For Health Professions 4.0: Ultimate Complete Guide to Pass Various Tests Such as the NCLEX, MCAT, PCAT, PAX, CEN (Nursing), EMT (Paramedics), PANCE (Physician Assistants) And Many Others Test Taken by Students in the Medical Field